There is a scary and alarming trend in the lifting sector.
Whilst completing onsite inspections the Stenhouse team are presented with equipment that is currently in service and does not meet manufacturers or Australian Standards. This is usually equipment that has been repeatedly inspected by a “so-called” competent inspection provider.
Inspections of lifting equipment by a provider that is third-party accredited and is trained by industry-specific bodies are imperative to maintain and increase the quality of equipment inspections in our sector.
In the lifting sector, a competent person is a person who has a combination of training, education, and experience, acquired knowledge and skills enabling that person to correctly perform a specific task. Here in lies the issue, “correctly perform a specific task”.
Within the past 25 years of business, we have done everything we can to ensure that we are keeping people safe, assets compliant & your sites operational. Therefore, we ensure we are NATA accredited (National Association of Testing Authorities) and a foundation member of the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA).
So, what are the common issues?
- The inspection/testing provider incorrectly assembles or modifies existing equipment.
- Manufacture failed to meet design or manufacture requirements.
- Changing or editing information that impacts traceability
So, how can it be avoided?
Education, education, education.
Educate the end user, Service Providers, Manufacturers & Third-Party Auditing.
Recent Examples:
This chain connector in the photo above, has been incorrectly assembled by service provider, and was in service at the time of inspection. The assembly had several inspections by the provider after assembly and the issue was not reported or resolved.
It is a sad reality that manufacturers do fail to meet the manufacturing and tagging requirements of the relevant standards. The above item was in service at the time of inspection and had been in service for over a decade. This shock absorber should REMOVED FROM SERVICE by 4/3/2019 not 79 years later…
A service provider completed an inspection, removed the previous manufacturer or sling assembler WLL tag. By removing the tag and replacing it with their own branded tag the chain sling is no longer compliant.
The actions of this provider has led to total loss of traceability and compliance for no gain to the end user. An otherwise compliant sling now is not fit for service.
Example of a non-compliant tag that can be purchased from a manufacturer. Unless the serial #, test date & Identification of the manufacture or sling assembler is added, the tag will never comply.
If you have any concerns about any of your assets being non-compliant, please reach out and we will come to site and discuss your concerns with you.
Please see Australian Standard AS3775.1:2014 for more information on Marking.
